Expand the Big Bash League to New Zealand, says Stephen Fleming

The Big Bash League should be expanded to become a trans-Tasman competition, Stephen Fleming says.

And he said he did not see himself coaching a national team any time soon, because it would take too great a toll on his family.

Melbourne Stars coach Stephen Fleming would like to see the BBL expanded to New Zealand.Credit:Getty Images

The former New Zealand captain became coach of BBL side the Melbourne Stars this season, after a long stint coaching Indian Premier League franchise the Chennai Super Kings.

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As the T20 format has grown in popularity, there has been concern about how smaller teams, such as New Zealand and the West Indies, will survive as key players chase the money offered by the BBL.

Fleming said he would like to see the competition grow to include New Zealand teams, although he admitted it would benefit Australian cricket less than it would his home country.

He said an expansion into New Zealand would be widely supported by locals.

"I understand the commercial aspect of keeping in Australia, but purely from a New Zealand perspective expanding it that way would be unbelievable," he said.

The focus for now was to bed down the competition, promote the newly formed Women's Big Bash League and to keep improving attendance figures, Fleming said.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said while there was an "obvious temptation" to expand the league, they were in no rush to do so.

"While expansion might be something that we consider down track, we see this period in time as an important establishment phase for the league where we are building the identities of clubs and supporter passion," he said.

Fleming has earned high praise for his leadership and tactical abilities, including from former spin king Shane Warne, who in 2013 said he would like to see Fleming coach Australia.

Warne said Fleming was the best captain Australia faced during his playing career.

But the 42-year-old said he did not see himself becoming the coach of a national team, because it would mean being away from home too often.

He was the father of three young children and the amount of travel involved in the job was brutal.

"I think after 20 years of playing the game and doing it I want to be in one place or two places for a period of time," he said.

"I wouldn't rule it out but for the short term I can't see it."

Fleming's family would join him in Australia after Christmas for the second half of the BBL series.

The BBL will start on December 17 when the Sydney Sixers play the Sydney Thunder in a local derby at Spotless Stadium.